Posted on 06/16/2012 8:43:31 AM PDT by Diapason
My late mom, June, was born in the north of England on16 June 1934 in a non-Christian home. Neither of her parents reached 50. Some of her childhood was spent away from home in safer areas as a result of WW2. She was 11 when her father died – she didn’t speak much about him, but from what she did say, it was probably the result of physical damage (shrapnel) from WW1 plus heart problems.
After he died she was in very bad way, and a Christian school friend, Anne, supported her, and led her to Christ. My mom was sent to South Africa as an orphan (her mother had also died of breast cancer a few years later) in April 1950 when she was a couple of months shy of 16 to non-Christian relatives. She had however been given contacts in South Africa from the church which she had been attending (Plymouth Brethren) so she had Christian contact from when she arrived here, which led to her meeting my father.
What makes her situation so profound is that she was led to Christ by another 11 year old. How many 11 year olds could do so nowadays? Another interesting thing is that she said that if you had asked her friend, Anne, how long she had been a Christian, the reply was that she had always been a Christian, which many, including me, would question if that statement were just taken at face value. It seems that Anne had been immersed in Christian teaching and example from an early age, and somewhere along the road that had become real to her, rather than something which had just been heard, or given mental assent to. Anne visited my mom in here in South Africa with her husband in the 1990’s, probably about 45 years after they had last seen each other, and was still a very strong Christian.
This raises very interesting issues about what children are taught nowadays. Are they just taught Bible “stories”, or are they taught and "exampled" Christianity?
Anyway, my mom was admitted to hospital with angina in October 1996 and the same night had to be revived when her heart stopped. Less than 3 months later she was diagnosed with colon cancer, and, in spite of the fact that normally one has to wait for 6 months after a heart attack before having surgery, the surgeon felt the cancer surgery couldn’t wait. At first it seemed to be successful, but from late 1998 the cancer markers in the blood tests started increasing again, first slowly, then very rapidly. In August 1999 she was told she had from 6 to 24 months to live. She died halfway between on 16 November 2000.
At about the time when she had the heart attack she wrote a couple of poems, and with today (16 June) being what would have been her 78th birthday, I was reading them again and thought maybe I should post something here for FRiends who might be interested. I was initially just going to post one poem, but got to thinking about her history and decided to post that as well.
ON MEETING DEATH
I go out with FAITH
In one sure thing
That dogged my paths
Since life began
By which all men are drawn
Though some resist
When cords of love
Their ways would span.
I go out with HOPE
In one sure thing
That stays the mind
And sets it free
From fear and that which binds
The earthling’s soul
When it would wing
Its way to thee.
I go out with LOVE
For that sure One
Who from all ages lives
Though once He died
That I might live through Him
To dwell forever
Cleansed, forgiven
By His side.
I go out with THANKS
For one sure thing
That dawned upon my soul
That without THEE
No Faith or Hope
Or Love exists
Nor ever was
Nor can be.
I go out with JOY
To one sure blaze of light
That ends the darkness
Heralding eternal day
Nought that offends
Can enter there
Where He holds sway.
June M. 16-06-1934 to 16-11-2000
Oh, isn’t that sweet? They talked about their mothers and fathers. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, isn’t that sweet? They talked about their mothers and fathers. Thanks for sharing.
God Bless you and your dear Mom.
Your Mom must have been a lovely person.
(I was raised Plymouth Brethren. I rarely meet someone who knows what that is.)
Yes, the screen is blurry here too..
Someone wrote that the elderly still miss their parents and they feel “like we do”. That is because even though the body ages, the spirit within us, which IS us, NEVER ages.. and it lives forever.
Wow! The second one was also wonderful. Her poems are truly beautiful. What treasures you have from your mother.
Amen!
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